The substantial weight increase in pregnancy, mainly occurring over the latter 20 gestational weeks is known. Incidentally, in pregnancy the weight increase may often reach about 15 Kg and over, 70% thereof occurring over the latter 20 gestational weeks, and being largely due to water retention and to an increase of the fat reserve.
It is also known that in pregnancy the joints, the ligaments and the musculotendinous structure of the pelvis and of the spine are particularly lax. The increased joint laxity and elasticity allows an easier adaptation of the pelvic shape to the fetus.
During pregnancy a relaxation of the ligament and tendon system, following changes in the hormonal state, among which a sensible increase in the level of the progesterone hormone, is observed. The relaxation affects the whole body, yet it becomes particularly apparent at the sacroiliac joints and at the pubic symphysis, with a greater stretching of the ligaments, and therefore with pain derived from the stress exerted by the growing/swelling uterus. At the vertebral level, particularly in the highly mobile lumbar tract, the ligamentous laxity may foster the presence of microstrains, in particular against the articular facets, responsible for low back pain. Moreover, at the lower lumbar vertebrae and at the lumbosacral passage, where, following the enhanced lumbar lordosis posture, the compressive stress onto the vertebral bodies and the vertebral disks concentrate, a greater rate of disk protrusions occurs. The latter are also fostered by a greater laxity of the posterior longitudinal ligament, with the entailed compression of the intrarachidean nerve plexus creating lower back pain.
The relaxation of the ligament system, typical of the pregnant state, causes a certain spreading apart of the pelvic bones during pregnancy. In particular, the diastasis of the pubic symphysis causes a symptomatology represented by pubic and lumbosacral pain which is enhanced by motion, making walking problematic.
Such lumbar and pelvis algetic symptomatology is very frequent in pregnancy, with an incidence that tends to increase in the course thereof, when uterine volume and weight are mostly increased, until reaching an apex around the end of the eighth month, when approximately three women out of four intensely suffer therefrom.
The etiopathogenesis of such pain is certainly multifactorial. However, in the most significant and recent studies and experimentation of the applicant the ‘mechanical’ factor was specifically investigated. The ‘mechanical’ factor is relevant in the course of pregnancy. In fact, following the increased dimensions and weight of the uterus and the relaxation of the abdominal wall, the center of gravity gradually tends to shift forwards, causing accentuated lumbar lordosis. This entails important modifications of the spine morphology, comprising, in fact, the accentuation of the lumbar lordosis physiology, a backward shifting of the sacrum causing a progressive verticalization of the lumbosacral angle, a stretching of the sacroiliac joints, and finally a stretching against the pubic symphysis. At times, also sciatic neuralgia from herniated disc-deriving discoradicular compression is developed. To compensate for the above, the shoulders, the neck and the head are brought backwards and the pelvis is slightly rotated onto the femurs.
These postural modifications induce pregnant women to assume a typical waddling gait, with the entailed overloading of the vertebrae and of the related intervertebral disks, particularly at the fifth lumbar and first sacral vertebrae, following the increased tilt of the lumbosacral angle.
Various different abdominal suspensors capable of relieving the pain, concomitantly lightening the sensation of abdominal burden both during walking and while standing have long been advanced in the art. Such an effect also depends on the reduction of the stretching of the muscoloskeletal ligamentous and uterine systems, often causing pelvic and inguinal pain.
Abdominal suspensors having an abdomen-pelvic supporting strap anchored merely to the lumbar region, though constituting a valuable support for the abdominal wall of a woman during pregnancy, grow ineffective as the latter progresses due to the conspicuous increase of a pregnant uterus. Also the abdominal suspensors known in the art generally discharge the weight onto the lumbar region. Hence, the applicant has faced the problem in its entirety, with the precise object of providing an abdominal suspension system and a multimember structural-type protector capable of providing a construction which features functional and preventive therapy for overcoming the drawbacks mentioned with reference to the known art.
In fact, the advantages of the protector hereinafter disclosed, with an original solution, provide a substantial aid to the pregnant woman during the entire pregnancy.